The tropical birds, from the parrot family, hail from Africa and Asia
A species of tropical bird has been sighted in increasing numbers in Liverpool parks and campuses, leading researchers to conclude that a long-term local population is now viable.
The ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is a medium-sized member of the parrot family from northern Africa and the Indian subcontinent, and can be identified by its bright green plumage and red beak. The birds have a wide range and will often fly several miles to forage for nuts, grains, and fruits.
Eagle-eyed walkers will have noticed the exotic birds, which have settled in parks around the city. Their loud, screeching calls are liable to give away the birds’ presence before they are seen.
The ECHO found parakeets in Sefton Park, while The Anfield Wrap contributor John Gibbons shared pictures on X (formerly known as Twitter) of two of the birds perched in a tree in Clarke Gardens:
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The ECHO spoke to Dr Ross MacLeod, senior lecturer in behavioural ecology at Liverpool John Moores University, to understand more about why parakeets are settling in Liverpool and their potential impact on native species.
Dr MacLeod, 57, from Glasgow, said: “It’s a flourishing population, it seems to be doing well. We see them regularly across a lot of places around Liverpool, we have them at the University, we have them in many of the parks. And yeah, they’re successfully breeding.
“Come spring time, you’ll see them using nest holes in trees. They like areas with big trees, for breeding, for perching, so they’re up safe from predators. Generally, nice open habitat without many predators, where there’s food – those are the big requirements.”
Speculation has raged over where the UK’s wild ring-necked parakeet population originated, with one rumour claiming that legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix released a breeding pair in London in 1968. Experts, including Dr MacLeod, now believe that many parakeets were released independently by exotic pet owners in the London area and have since spread out as far as Scotland.
A parakeet in Sefton Park, Liverpool, January 2, 2026(Image: Iain Watts/Liverpool Echo)
MacLeod added: “I think this population is long term. I mean, climate change can have an effect but they’ll probably do better as things get warmer. I don’t think there’s any risks there. It would probably take another mini Ice Age for them to disappear is my feeling, or some invasive predator comes in or maybe disease.
“But these are things that would affect any sort of animal species anyway. So now they seem to have plenty, they seem to be well established, they seem to breed successfully so I think there is a long-term population there already.”
Liverpool’s parks provide the ideal habitat for ring-necked parakeets, which are well-adapted to survive in cool climates as well as their native environment of tropical forests and deserts.
Dr MacLeod’s research uses animal behaviour and population data to make predictions about how populations and ecosystems will respond to environmental changes, particularly in urban spaces.
The field of urban ecology – and the urban parakeet phenomenon – has gained greater visibility recently with the release of Sir David Attenborough’s Wild London documentary. Dr MacLeod hopes future studies will help researchers better understand the local population.
A parakeet in Sefton Park, Liverpool, January 2, 2026(Image: Iain Watts/Liverpool Echo)
Dr MacLeod told the ECHO: “We keep talking about doing it. But I don’t know of anyone who’s done it yet. They fly quite far distances so it can be quite hard to figure out exactly how many there are. I mean, we see flocks of 10-20 individuals at times after the breeding season, but working out the whole population is a big big task.”
Though some academics have raised concerns about the potential impact on native species, and countries such as Spain have already introduced measures to control the parakeet population, Dr MacLeod called for calm, explaining that the current research shows little threat.
He said: “They may compete with other species at bird feeders, if they’re coming to bird feeders, but the other species won’t be excluded completely, they’ll just come at different times. There might be a bit of competition for nest holes in trees, but again, they can probably find other nest holes.
“There’s nothing that we know about that’s really crucial. They don’t seem to be having big effects on any of the other species as far as we know.”
Bird lovers should rest assured then that, a shock though it may be, a bright green parrot making use of their bird feeder is no immediate cause for concern.
